Sydney Restaurant Recommendations

[The Chefs Office]

Lets be clear on one thing.

They are both excellent but Marque is nowhere near as highly awarded as Tetsuya.

By SMH yes, the rest of the world no...

[Fi Fi La More]

I have been to both Marque and Tetsuya in the past six weeks and have been contemplating which I think is better. Personally I prefer Marque. The food at Marque was amazing and I am still dreaming about many of the dishes. The sommelier at Marque is also probably one of the best in Sydney if not Australia. Tetsuya is a wonderful experience and probably a more uniquely Australian experience, but if I could only go to one restaurant for the rest of the year and I had a choice, I would choose Marque.

[episyd]

Have to agree with Fifi.

Went to Marque's in late June and had the degustation menu ($125). No doubt it was the best constructed, best balanced meal I have had in Sydney for many a year.Incredible intensity of flavours with many contrasting flavours which in lesser hands could turn out to be an abomination.

One thing about Marque's is that it is a more modest-scaled place (ground floor of a block of flats) still fairly intimate but thankfully friendly and very knowledgable staff. As you say one of the best sommeliers in Oz plus a wonderfuland eclectic wine list. It is also BYO which is wonderful.

More a fodd buffs place than the big night out experience which I think Tet's does better.

Cheers

Paul

[chopper]

Former Executive Chef of Water's edge in Canberra, Darren Vaughan, has been appointed Executive Chef of the Sydney Tower restaurant; the restaurant is under refurbishment and should reopen in August to a new look, and most importantly, new tastes.

Any comments on the location, the restaurant's previous reputation and it's new potential under Chef Vaughan.

Thanks

[The Chefs Office]

Former Executive Chef of Water's edge in Canberra, Darren Vaughan, has been appointed Executive Chef of the Sydney Tower restaurant; the restaurant is under refurbishment and should reopen in August to a new look, and most importantly, new tastes.

Any comments on the location, the restaurant's previous reputation and it's new potential under Chef Vaughan.

Thanks

←

Darren has been on board a couple of months now.

Location: not so sure...

Previous reputation: thank god for the refurbishment and Darren arriving

New potential: they are certainly spending a lot of $$ there on this project and as long as Darren is left to do what he does best (cook) and there are no owner's syndrome issues, it will certainly be at the top of my list.

PS Chopper, did you ever work with Darren, if so where at? In the kitchen/on the floor?

Edited July 29, 2005 by The Chefs Office (log)

[chopper]

I have, we both worked in L'Oranger's kitchen, in London.

Darren is a good friend, a great cook, I wish him all the best, and much deserved recognition and success in Sydney.

Who owns & operates this venture ?

Edited July 30, 2005 by chopper (log)

[oesophagus]

I really don't like couching things in terms of one restaurant "versus" another, because when you're talking about art, that sort of thing doesn't really make sense.

That said, I've been visiting both restaurants regularly for the past several years, and where Marque is really on fire at the moment, presenting progressive, intelligent and dazzling food and wine (emphasis on Nick Hildebrandt's wine and service), recent visits to Tetsuya's, while smooth as silk and unquestionably pleasurable, just haven't caused anything like the same sort of stimulation or excitement.

Tetsuya's is still great, but I think if dining is what you do for fun, Marque really is right up there at the very top in Australia at this moment.

[Shinboners]

Restaurant of the Year: est.

Chef of the Year: Mark Best, Marque

Best New Restaurant: Pilu at Freshwater

Best Regional Restaurant: Collits Inn, Hartley Vale

The Sydney Morning Herald Award for Professional Excellence: Michael Manners of Selkirks at Orange, for redefining cooking in regional NSW and for four decades of inspiration.

The Sydney Morning Herald Silver Service Award: Maurice Terzini of Icebergs, for bringing the sexy, Italian-Melbourne style to Sydney and for his attention to detail.

The Good Food Guide Sommelier Award: Christopher Morrison, formerly of Guillaume at Bennelong, for passion, personality and enthusiasm backed by impeccable knowledge of wine.

The Josephine Pignolet Best Young Chef Award: Daniel Puskas of Marque. The young chef receives a generous financial donation from Sydney chefs and suppliers, plus a set of Furitechnics knives and an international return flight with Qantas.

3 Hats: Claude's, est., Guillaume at Bennelong, Marque, Quay, Tetsuya's

2 Hats: Aria, Bilson's, Bistro Moncur, Buon Ricordo, Icebergs Dining Room & Bar, Longrain, Lucio's, Omega, Pello, Pier, Pilu at Freshwater, Restaurant Balzac, Rockpool, Sean's Panaroma, Yoshii

[SBonner]

I recently came across a U.K. food mention of Sydney Gourmet Burger "SGB" Is it a chain or just one restaurant/cafe/take-out. Are the burger's unique or should I give it a miss on my trip to Australia in November.

Thank you,

Stephen

Vancouver

Edited September 15, 2005 by SBonner (log)

[infernooo]

Hi there,

In Sydney, there is one in Bondi (near Bondi Beach), and one in Randwick and one in Leichhart (little italy) http://sydney.citysearch.com.au/E/V/SYDNE/0010/62/03/

Personally, I don't see whats so great about them... sure they have some interesting burgers, but in comparison to a good burger in the US, it pales in comparison. Its the kind of place where you could easily make what they give you (and probably do it better). Having said that, the waiters are great, and it has received good reviews from newspapers. If I were around Bondi, I would go somewhere else... Icebergs ( http://www.idrb.com/index2.htm ) or Sean's Panarama ( http://www.miettas.com/Australia/New_South...S_Panorama.html )would be a much more memorable experience.

Hope that helps!

Edited September 15, 2005 by infernooo (log)

[ecr]

Hello all,

We'll be in Sydney for a wk, looking at serviced apartments so we can do a bit of cooking with all the wonderful ingredients. Likely locations are:

-corner of KentxBathhurst near Chinatown

-King Street Wharf

-Chatswood

-Harbour Bridge end of York St in the CBD

In terms of convenience to eating out, drinking out, and shopping at markets offering wonderful packaged goods and cheeses and produce and -- definately -- seafood .... which would be the most convenient?

And as long as I'm at it, might as well throw out a few restaurant ideas: Sean's Panorama, The Pier at Rose Bay for the raw plate, Claude's, Icebergs .... what we're looking for is an emphasis on beautiful ingredients cooked simply. Not looking for 14-course tasting-athons, architectural presentations, "event" dining. I have to admit we're not much for getting *super* dressed up, either. And we LOVE seafood! Comments, other suggestions?

Any thoughts on food in/near Jervis Bay, eating out or shops for provisions?

Many thanks......

[The Chefs Office]

Give Chatswood a miss, a bit far.

My first choice would be king st wharf, then york st.

Chinatown is Chinatown.

Try Bayswater Brasserie for something different

www.bayswaterbrasserie.com.au

beef cheek pie...mmmmmm

Also Eat City is very very much worth a visit for the food.

www.eatcity.com.au

[PCL]

The York St apartments are good value. From memory, it's 5 York St. I use them whenever I'm in Sydney for more than a night. Decent facilities, loads of room in the apartment, and a serviceable kitchen.

They are located at the Harbour Bridge end of the city, close to The Rocks, Circular Quay, Opera House blah.

[arbuclo]

King Street Wharf is an excellent location. I really liked the Medina Grand Harbourside a couple of years ago. I stayed there almost every time I went to Sydney (from Melbourne).

[Fi Fi La More]

I think either York St or King Street Wharf are both good locations. The restaurants you mention fit your criteria well. We had lunch at Icebergs recently and I am still thinking about the food. It was simple food where the quality of the ingredients really stood out - please try the school prawns if they have them on the menu. One other place I would recommend is Fish Face. It is owned by one of the former owners of Pier and has amazing seafood. It is very casual, somewhat uncomfortable (stools only),BYO and you can only book between 6 and 7pm. Despite all this the seafood blows my mind every time. Enjoy!

[saycheese]

We were in Sydney in late July/early August, and I found it very odd that we didn't see any markets or gourmet shops, except the food hall in the basement at David Jones. We spent some time wandering around Paddington, Darlinghurst and quite a ways out on Oxford Street, but still didn't notice any markets. Usually, when we're abroad, we really like to check out the local grocery stores to see what's different from the US. Where do the Sydneysiders keep them hidden?

[Shalmanese]

I don't think Sydney really has any gourmet shops that are not grossly overpriced. The two big ones are the DJ Food Hall and Simon Johnsons. Both are absurdly expensive and cater mainly to yuppie trendseekers IMHO.

The main problem is that Australia has simply too small a population and is too far away from everywhere to support any decent gourmet food industry.

In terms of markets, Paddys market in the Haymarket is worth checking out for tourists. The produce there is fantastically cheap although the quality is variable. The Fox studios farmers market on every Wednesday and Sunday has a couple of worthwhile stalls scattered among a whole bunch of worthless ones. I think theres another market somewhere where most of the restaurants buy their produce but you have to get there at about 6am and buy by the box.

[loiosh]

If you plan to cook and eat while staying in Sydney, I seem to recall that the Radisson near Chinatown has rooms with kitchenettes and was reasonably priced the last time we stayed there. It's also handy to Sydney's small Spanish Quarter, which has some cool delis and a few tapas places, at least one of which is really good. From there you could easily walk to Cockle Bay Wharf (yes, it's touristy, but it's not too bad), which has a few good restaurants, and of course it's handy to transit (including scenic boat rides over to Sydney Harbour). Check wotif.com.au for good hotel/apartment rates (I'm not shilling for them...it's just a useful site non-locals might not have known about).

[ecr]

Thanks Shalmanese ... I googled Sydney markets and came up with the Haymarket one, will try to check it out. DJ Food Hall and Simon Johnson's may be overpriced, but I can't buy stuff like really good olive oil where I live, so I'll be visiting them anyway.

Loiosh -- which is the good tapas bar, got a name?

[The Chefs Office]

http://www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au/ might be worth a look whilst here

[Shalmanese]

Thanks Shalmanese ... I googled Sydney markets and came up with the Haymarket one, will try to check it out. DJ Food Hall and Simon Johnson's may be overpriced, but I can't buy stuff like really good olive oil where I live, so I'll be visiting them anyway.

Loiosh -- which is the good tapas bar, got a name?

←

You might want to check out Harris Farm Market. they focus mainly on high quality, fresh produce but they have a gourmet section as well with some occasional excellent finds. They had some local, 2005 vintage olive oil recently which, while not exceptional in quality, had the virtue of being so fresh you could taste the difference in quality week by week. It was about $20 / 750mL and we definately went through that with wild abandon. Their orange juice is excellent too except you have to drink it quick because it freshly squeezed and doesn't contain any preservatives. Some of thier cheeses, while not the absolute highest quality, are very affordable for everyday use.

Also, it's worth checking out the Fox studios farmers market. Theres a couple of top notch, australian olive oils there for about $20 /375mL.

[loiosh]

Loiosh -- which is the good tapas bar, got a name?

←

I liked "Capitan Torres", and there are a few others around there.

[oesophagus]

Hello all,

We'll be in Sydney for a wk, looking at serviced apartments so we can do a bit of cooking with all the wonderful ingredients.  Likely locations are:

-corner of KentxBathhurst near Chinatown

-King Street Wharf

-Chatswood

-Harbour Bridge end of York St in the CBD

In terms of convenience to eating out, drinking out, and shopping at markets offering wonderful packaged goods and cheeses and produce and -- definately -- seafood .... which would be the most convenient?

And as long as I'm at it, might as well throw out a few restaurant ideas: Sean's Panorama, The Pier at Rose Bay for the raw plate, Claude's, Icebergs .... what we're looking for is an emphasis on beautiful ingredients cooked simply. Not looking for 14-course tasting-athons, architectural presentations, "event" dining. I have to admit we're not much for getting *super* dressed up, either. And we LOVE seafood!  Comments, other suggestions?

Any thoughts on food in/near Jervis Bay, eating out or shops for provisions?

Many thanks......

←

Hey ECR,

I can tell you straight off the bat that if you're looking for good markets, you won't find anything of the calibre of, say, the markets in Melbourne or Adelaide, or anything as lively as those in Darwin. Chatswood, as the others have said, is way off and far from central, and the others (much as I detest King Street Wharf - think Melbourne's Docklands) are all much of a muchness. The "tapas" bars on Liverpool Street are all equally dreadful, though the Torres deli and bottle shop sells the kind of bits and pieces you can make a great lunch with.

You need to go and check out Fratelli Fresh in Waterloo. It's not in the middle of town, but it's not hella far either and has some of the best produce you're likely to see under one roof in this country. Better still, the cafe upstairs, Sopra, hits the nail on the head if you like good food cooked simply and well.

Your restaurant choices are winners, particularly Sean's and Icebergs, though Pier is a bit stuffy (amazing fish) and Claude's is pretty seriously baroque. Both are also overpriced.

For bang-for-your-buck, check out Jeremy Strode's new place, Bistrode. It's super stripped-back, but never cold, and does a nice line in St John-esque simple bistro food at the right price. Be sure to book ahead.

Make sure, too, you stop in for a cocktail at the back bar of Lotus in Potts Point and be sure to have lunch at Yellow and get some of Lorraine Godsmark's pastries to take home. And don't miss Spice I Am on Wentworth Avenue for the best Thai food in Australia.

[Suzi Edwards]

I'm moving to Sydney in March and we're still unsure of where to live. We're going to be spending four weeks in corporate accomodation before we decide where to rent (in the short term) I was wondering if people could help me narrow down my search...

Proximity to the CBD is really important to us and we've already ruled out Manley (an early favourite) because of the commute. Balmain is currently a front runner because of the frequent ferry service. Glebe, Cremoyne and Kirribilli I think are going to be worth a look too.

What my guidebooks don't tell me is what the food purchasing options are like in these areas. I currently live in Islington, chosen mainly because there are two very good butchers, one great fishmonger (and one less good one), a branch of the best cheese shop in London and a weekly farmers market. I'm not a big fan of supermarkets and prefer to buy local produce frequently, rather than do a weekly supermarket run. Are there any areas that you would especially recommend as being good locations to procure good produce? Any shops, markets or stores you'd recommend? Is there one especially food-oriented suburb that sticks out for you?

Would really love any advice and look forward to sharing my experiences of moving to Sydney with you.

[Shinboners]

If you do a search of the internet, you should be able to track down a book titled, "The Foodies Guide To Sydney", and that will give you an idea of food shopping in that city.

You should also check out sites like www.realestateview.com.au and www.domain.com.au to get an idea of the rental market in Sydney.

Of course, there's the third option of telling your employer that you refuse to live in Sydney and that you want to work in the vastly superior city of Melbourne.